Atlanta Hawks at Pacers: Game thread
Indianapolis–At shootaround Tracy McGrady said he was feeling good. Not so much tonight: He’s a late scratch with back spasms. It wasn’t announced until after the locker room was closed to media types so don’t have details.
- Danny Granger (ill) and George Hill (back) are active for the Pacers after missing Monday’s 96-86 loss at Philly.
- Yes, Larry Drew showed the players clips of Charles Barkley’s criticisms of the Hawks during the loss to Miami. I’ve never liked reacting to what Barkley says because smack talking is his schtick and I don’t think it makes much of a difference. Plus, while the loss to the Heat was a bad one it wasn’t enough to draw a conclusion about this team. Don’t get me wrong: I love Barkley. He’s fun and entertaining. His act is good for fans and talk radio (and Web hits, apparently) but has no real bearing on basketball so I tend to just laugh it off.
- And, sure enough, word is Hawks players aren’t going around talking or thinking about sticking it to Barkley. Nevertheless, Drew thought it might do some good for players to hear Barkley’s barbs, so he replayed some of them before the Hawks played at Charlotte Friday. “I wanted them to know, wanted them to hear what the perception is. Most guys take it for what it’s worth and say that’s what he gets paid to say. Those that want to change the perception, they will step up.”
- However, L.D. extended the lesson beyond Sir Charles’ smack talk into areas I think are relevant: “With the officials, if you whine a lot then people will start to say you are a soft team. If you don’t play through adversity, then you will get the label of a soft team. I want guys to play through adversity, when things aren’t going good. I’ve always said it’s easy when things are going good.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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540 comments Add your comment
Slimjr
January 11th, 2012
9:33 pm
Guys when did Horford go down? I want to go replay it on the DVR
Just Joe
January 11th, 2012
9:33 pm
Seriously though, Rick Sund should look for a big man from the D-League on a 10-day contract.
Is Ostertag ready?
Najeh Davenpoop
January 11th, 2012
9:34 pm
If Marvin can go tomorrow, I would start Josh at center. F-ck Zaza.
Just Joe
January 11th, 2012
9:34 pm
Horford went down 5 minutes in to the game.
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
9:35 pm
7″1″ Solomon Alabi is blowing up the D-League right now. Hawks need to make a move and acquire this young Center.
Sautee
January 11th, 2012
9:35 pm
Teague needs to learn (and he will) that when he’s not finishing, to slow down a half step and set up a big, a la Steve Nash. He has to have his finger on the pulse of what’s needed. We all know that Joe is the only starter who can create his own shot. Therefore, Teague needs to be more assertive in setting up his teammates. 6 assists should be a middling game for him. 3 should be unacceptable.
Trade Al Horford
January 11th, 2012
9:35 pm
That sorry Al got 2 of his shots block in five minutes of playing time. Then, as he has almost every year, he injured himself. Instead of working out to get strong during the off season he went playing with miss camel toe..Thanks Al.
Now what. This is a night mare short season. Al’s trade value keeps going down and down and down. We are never going to get a real center. We are struck with this awful display from Al.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 11th, 2012
9:36 pm
Joe Johnson has 15 points at halftime and ends the game with 15 points. Vlad-Rad has 3 rebounds at halftime and ends the game with 3 rebounds. Go figure. Can anyone say ‘Zero Production’?
Sautee
January 11th, 2012
9:37 pm
Well, good evening, TS
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
9:37 pm
Totally agree with “Davenpoop” in starting Josh at the 5. Zsa Zsa is plain Terrible.
Slimjr
January 11th, 2012
9:38 pm
Thanks just joe!
O'Brien
January 11th, 2012
9:38 pm
Sautee,
Teague also needs to learn how to finish with both hands. One thing that stands out to me is how many layups or shots at the rim he has missed.
Trent
January 11th, 2012
9:38 pm
“. . . if no Horford tomorrow, we’re down to Zaza at center ONLY. But with Diaw basically being Charlotte’s center, we may can get away with a smallish frontline.”
I wouldn’t count Diaw out. He’s actually been surprisingly effective so far this year. Even playing with all that extra weight and playing at the 5, he’s looked pretty effective at times. People tend to forget how mobile Diaw is for a big guy. I would definitely give him the edge over Zaza in that matchup, and by a long shot. He’s not a very good rebounder, but he can box out Zaza, which leaves us basically one reliable rebounder (Josh). Also, Charlotte does have some solid size and interior depth right now with both Byron Mullens and Biyombo. Mullens is a legit 7 footer and Biyombo, although slightly undersized at 6′9″, has a huge wingspan.
Slimjr
January 11th, 2012
9:39 pm
Neat Stat: Last 5 quarters Kobe has scored 62 points!
O'Brien
January 11th, 2012
9:39 pm
I’m sure TS wont mention that in 6 minutes, Al had 5 points. Thats almost a point a minute…
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
9:39 pm
Hibbert exposed the Hawks lack of Size. Does Mr. Sund know what a “Template” is??????????
Pluto
January 11th, 2012
9:40 pm
Another nice game from Josh who lead the hawks in points, and tied for the lead in assist, and rebounds. Josh is really playing great.
If we can only get the others to participate and ‘Al to do something…anything…gee is he awful or what? Dude plays 5 minutes and gets his shot block twice. I dont have to mention he blocked zero shots.
Yeah we can do better, than Al.
Sautee
January 11th, 2012
9:41 pm
O’B,
co-sign. Remember when nearly every starter in the league could use both hands?
I guess I’m showing my age, but it USED to be considered a fundamental. Where’s Grandad?
The Spook who sat by the door
January 11th, 2012
9:41 pm
Mama said there will be days [and nights] like this.
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
9:42 pm
Hawks bypassed this kid Byron B. J. Mullens in the Draft. He would look great right now in a Hawks uniform.
OH BOY
January 11th, 2012
9:42 pm
Rob Parker knows the deal.
O'Brien
January 11th, 2012
9:43 pm
I know the Falcons have failed in the playoffs, but at least AB has the right goals.
“Our goal is to win rings, to get championships and eventually win a Super Bowl for this community,” Blank said Wednesday at a news conference in Buckhead. “That’s our goal.”.
I hope he has the right personnel to make the tough decisions.
Pluto
January 11th, 2012
9:44 pm
Im sure that O’Brien wont mention that Al is still averaging 12 pts a freaking game 8 rebounds 1 blk and getting his shot blocked and 3 turnovers per game.
Trent
January 11th, 2012
9:44 pm
“Hibbert exposed the Hawks lack of Size. Does Mr. Sund know what a “Template” is??????????”
Hibbert usually gets owned by the Hawks front line (particularly, Horford). I would have liked to see if that was still the case tonight, but unfortunately, Al went down with an injury early. Anyway, I agree that we have a lack of size, but I don’t think Hibbert is really a guy who would “expose” it. More than anything, what was exposed tonight was our lack of interior depth. Zaza is our only reliable backup big man, and he’s been very inconsistent this season, which doesn’t leave us with much.
Slimjr
January 11th, 2012
9:45 pm
All NBA’s women is supposedly with child that’s probably why they rushed the union?
Plus she was engage to somebody else?
Wheres the entertainment reporter?
OH BOY
January 11th, 2012
9:45 pm
Good to see Josh and Joe step up in Al’s absence. SMH.
Three team captains, right?
Some of us know
January 11th, 2012
9:47 pm
Trade Al Horford = Pluto = ?
What’s the over / under for the number of troll personas tonight?
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
9:47 pm
We drafted Jeff Teague at 19 in the 2009 NBA Draft. Mullins went at 24 to Dallas. We need Mullins’ size
moree than Teagues’ playmaking ability…..
OH BOY
January 11th, 2012
9:47 pm
Falcons response to postseason failure: Fire EVERYBODY.
Hawks response to postseason failure: New contracts for everybody and diss the Falcons.
lol
Michael Gearon
January 11th, 2012
9:49 pm
:’(
Just Joe
January 11th, 2012
9:49 pm
I’m only going to give praise to 3 players tonight:
Jerry Stackhouse (+10) 8 pts, 2 boards, and an assist in 7 minutes.
Donald Sloan (+10) 6 pts, 4 boards, and an assist in 5 minutes.
Jason Collins (+1) 4 boards, 1 assist, 1 turnover, and a mean forearm in 12 minutes.
and a parting shot at:
Josh Smith (-22) 3 turnovers in 30 minutes.
Joe Johnson (-18) 4 turnovers in 34 minutes.
Jeff Teague (-13) 3 turnovers in 28 minutes.
Pluto
January 11th, 2012
9:50 pm
Damn! I like that picture where shes sporting her camel toe. Where Al pick her up at any way? What club does she dance at. Im getting change for a twenty now.
The Spook who sat by the door
January 11th, 2012
9:50 pm
I see we got some of the ESPN “First Take” crew in the house. Where’s the controversial Skip Bayless or shall I say Baseless or Say-less?
Pluto
January 11th, 2012
9:52 pm
Yeah Joe Josh and Teague handle the ball a lot. Al Just stands there… most of the time hes just watching the other team dunk.
Apple
January 11th, 2012
9:52 pm
Anyone giving Josh and Joe props for tonight need to log off because you damn sure didn’t watch the game.
Trent
January 11th, 2012
9:53 pm
@Some of us know
I think pretty much all of us know by now lol.
Pluto
January 11th, 2012
9:53 pm
Big Gay is that You?
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
9:54 pm
D. J. Mbenga (pronounced: Benga), Francisco Elson, are athletic upgrades over HAWKS current BIGS.
These guys are out there ASG. Dallas signed Yi Jianlian, who was allegedly blowing up the D-League,
to their active roster. kind of Moves champions make.
Slimjr
January 11th, 2012
9:54 pm
Gerald Green went for 34 tonight in the D league. I had wonder what happened to him after he won the Dunk contest in 07?
Grandmaster JeJe
January 11th, 2012
9:55 pm
Sautee
“We are a decent team, with the potential to be a very good, but probably NOT elite team. But with this ownership, the best we can do is count the good WITH the bad.”
Then what is the point of playing this game?
ASG has no desire to be elite.
We will ALWAYS be a team that feasts on the crappy teams, beats a few elite teams, then suffers against the middle of the pack/above average teams under this inept regime
And why does LD always have that same look on his face while he chews his gum at 8CPS (chews per second)?
No homo
OH BOY
January 11th, 2012
9:57 pm
Joe and Josh = Ben and Jerry.
Buncha soft serve ice cream mfs.
Blast
January 11th, 2012
9:59 pm
U could tell Hawks were not in this right from the start. All those back to backs getting to them?
I thought Ivan had more positives than negatives tonight, but he still had WAY!!!!!!!!!!!! more negatives.
Hawks, swallow this loss, and move on. Get healthy. Hope Marvin can play tomorrow.
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
10:00 pm
The ATL Police need to arrest Joe Johnson. This man is stealing money on a “Bernie Madoff” type of level. Absolutely criminal. WHERE IS THE IRS?
Sautee
January 11th, 2012
10:01 pm
Jeje,
The point I was making was: It’s SO easy to sit back and criticize this team. LOL, it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.
But many times you act like there is NOTHING good about the team, and I believe that’s a bunch of hooey, as Grandad says.
So, when I make these arguments, I’m asking for balance in your views. Don’t always take the easy way out and just b!tch. There ARE positives this year. And I know that you are plenty smart enough to see them.
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
10:02 pm
Arrest Joe Johnson please!!! This man is stealing money in the worst way. I’m talkin Bernie Madoff stuff.
Orange
January 11th, 2012
10:02 pm
I figured we’d lose tonight being so shorthanded. I just hope that Horford’s injury isn’t serious and that he can return to action ASAP.
All troll team
January 11th, 2012
10:04 pm
Some of us know
OH BOY
Michael Gearon
Trent = Some of us know
Apple
iPhqqedTeaguesMom
steven A.
January 11th, 2012
10:05 pm
IMO Al Horford is the “Most over rated player” in the entire NBA, PERIOD!!!
Slimjr
January 11th, 2012
10:05 pm
Hibbert Hit Al as he blocked his shot twice…Hurt…
Orange
January 11th, 2012
10:06 pm
L.D. should have gotten ejected tonight complaining about all of the non-calls when his players were getting fouled. Instead, he just stands there and chews his gum with that same puzzled look on his face. A great coach once asked how he could expect his players to go out and fight (play) hard for him if he wasn’t ready to fight for them. Quite simply, L.D. is not a great coach.